Preventing Violence Against Women: What Works and What’s Next for Asia-Pacific

At the 12^th Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD), policymakers, researchers, and practitioners gathered in Bangkok for a critical conversation on preventing violence against women. The side event, "Preventing Violence against Women: Evidence-Based Solutions and Promising Practices from the Asia and the Pacific Region," provided a platform to examine effective, evidence-based strategies to address gender-based violence (GBV) before it occurs.

With discussions anchored in national policy frameworks, community engagement, and cross-sectoral collaboration, the event -co-organized by UN Women and UNFPA- underscored the need for long-term, systemic change. Speakers from across the region highlighted successful initiatives, shared key lessons learned, and reinforced the urgent need to integrate prevention strategies into national development agendas.

Danielle Sever, Director of the Global Development Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, speaks about the urgent need for long-term investment in gender-based violence prevention efforts to complement response services. Photo: UN Women/Pathumporn Thongking

“There is urgent need to invest in long-term gender-based violence prevention efforts alongside response services if we are to eliminate gender-based violence,” said Danielle Sever, Director, Global Development Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, in her opening remarks. She highlighted Australia’s commitment to supporting prevention through investments like the Southeast Asia Gender-Based Violence Prevention Platform.

Shiva Raj Adhikari, Vice Chair of Nepal’s National Planning Commission, discusses Nepal’s commitment to gender-responsive budgeting as a key strategy for preventing gender-based violence and achieving SDG 5. Photo: UN Women/Pathumporn Thongking

Professor Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari, Vice Chair of Nepal’s National Planning Commission, shared how Nepal has institutionalized prevention through gender-responsive budgeting, ensuring dedicated resources to address gender-based violence. “Nepal has prioritized gender responsive budgeting. Through the allocation of budget for gender equality and gender-based violence prevention and response, we ensure progress towards the achievement of SDG 5 and sustainable development.”

Sangay Phuntsho, Chief Planning Officer at Bhutan’s Office of Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination, shares how Bhutan’s national strategy for GBV prevention was developed through extensive consultation with civil society and women’s organizations. Photo: UNFPA/Yongxi Lin

Similarly, Sangay Phuntsho, Chief Planning Officer, Office of the Prime Minister of Bhutan, emphasized the importance of a national strategy developed through extensive consultations with civil society. “Bhutan is committed to prevent gender-based violence before it happens. To do so, we have a comprehensive national strategy developed through a consultative process with civil society and women’s organizations.”

Cara Gleeson, Director at Our Watch Institute and Prevention in Action, discusses the importance of mobilizing people and institutions to drive systemic change and embed gender equality into policies and practices. Photo: UN Women/Pathumporn Thongking

A key theme of the discussion was the need for multi-sectoral engagement—including the media, education, and sports—to challenge harmful gender norms and shift behaviors at scale. Cara Gleeson, Director at Our Watch Institution and Prevention in Action, reflected on the role of institutions in driving long-term change. “To drive mass-scale cultural change and prevent gender-based violence, we must mobilize people and institutions, embedding individual behavior shifts into broader systemic efforts.”

This need for structural change was echoed in discussions on engaging men and boys in prevention. “A gender-transformative approach meets men where they are, equipping them with skills like communication, conflict resolution, and positive parenting to shift harmful norms,” said Kate Doyle, Senior Program Fellow at Equimundo.

Participants also explored the role of sports in prevention, with speakers highlighting successful initiatives that engage young people in promoting respectful relationships. Tihrani Uluinakauvadra, Participation and Pathways Manager at Oceania Rugby, shared experiences from the ‘Get into Rugby Plus’ program, which integrates life skills and gender equality training into sports. “We need to scale up initiatives that empower young people to become agents of change for gender equality. Sports can be a powerful tool for promoting positive behavior, challenging stereotypes, and ultimately preventing violence against women.”

Dr. Ratchada Jayagupta, Thailand’s Representative to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), emphasizes that preventing violence against women is not just a priority—it is essential and urgent. Photo: UN Women/Pathumporn Thongking

Closing the event, Dr. Ratchada Jayagupta, Thailand’s Representative to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), reinforced ASEAN’s commitment to prevention: “Preventing violence against women is not just a priority—it is essential and urgent. In ASEAN and beyond, we must focus on prevention to stop violence before it happens.”

With emerging evidence on what works, there is growing momentum to scale up prevention efforts across Asia and the Pacific. The discussion at APFSD reaffirmed the need for sustained investment, evidence-based policymaking, and cross-sector partnerships to ensure a future free from violence for women and girls in the region.

The side event was co-organized by UN Women and UNFPA with support from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) under the UN Joint Programme on Gender-Based Violence Prevention in Southeast Asia (2024-2029).

See the photo gallery of the event here.